• Publisher: Ubisoft
  • Release Date: Sep 11, 2007
Metascore
72 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 22 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 22
  2. Negative: 0 out of 22
  1. An amazing, versatile program that is perfectly suited for a handheld system. You can plug in headphones and silently rock out on the bus, or you can plug it into an amplifier, crank it up, and play for an audience. This is a must-have for any musician or music-lover.
  2. Jam Sessions is practically flawless at what it's trying to do. If you come in expecting a game, you'll be frustrated and disappointed. If you come in expecting a versatile musical tool, you'll be pleased and impressed.
  3. Don't expect this game to turn you into any kind of music expert if you're not one already, but if you already have some skill, Jam Sessions is a surprisingly good tool for any musician who wants to dabble in song creation.
  4. A logical evolution of "Guitar Hero." Being able to record our sounds and keep them ensures longevity. [Nov 2007, p.64]
  5. 80
    To put it plainly, Jam Sessions works on basically one level, but achieves near-mastery in it.
  6. Jam Sessions offers a toy for wannabe guitarists who don't have time to learn. [Oct 2007, p.87]
  7. 80
    Like any good tool, though, the amount of enjoyment gotten from Jam Sessions is going to be directly related to how much work goes in.
  8. It's not much of a game, and it's no Guitar Hero, but it's a pretty decent instrument simulator for the aspiring guitarist.
  9. Jam Sessions from Ubisoft is a unique guitar simulation application that doesn't have any merit as a game, however as a portable mini guitar, it works.
  10. It's not a game, but as a neat virtual guitar Jam Sessions provides great sounds, a tons of musical options and the ability to record your own tracks.
  11. There's not really much of a game here, with no goals and too few songs to choose from. The inability to record vocal performance hinders it, too. It's still worth jamming with, though, so find a seat.
  12. 70
    The one killer drawback to Jam Sessions is that you can't play individual notes.
  13. Jam Sessions is neat if you want to turn your DS into an acoustic guitar, but that's about all it does.
  14. 65
    While it's an excellent package worthy of further investigation for those interested in music, it's likely to be quite a disappointment to those interested in buying a game.
  15. With the number of cookie-cutter titles out there, it's a breath of fresh air to see developers taking a risk with a new genre. Unfortunately, innovation does not necessarily translate to quality. Jam Sessioins is dull, and calling it a game doesn't seem right because it's mainly one big music lesson.
  16. This is no Guitar Hero, or even a rhythm-action game, but something more akin to a portable notepad for musicians. [Nov 2007, p.97]
  17. As a concept it sounds pretty liberating, but in reality, the fact that there are no preset challenges actually limits Jam Sessions in terms of actual playability.
  18. For those of you that are considering adding Jam Sessions to your collection, be warned: this is not a game. Instead, it's a program that basically turns your DS into a makeshift guitar. It fulfils that job well; the sound is remarkably crisp and accurate, the controls are easy to pick up, and some guitarists might appreciate all of the little tweaks and customizations available. But when it comes to the other gameplay aspects, Jam Sessions falls flat.
  19. Jam Sessions is the simulator for musicians at heart. Featuring any note you could want from a guitar and the ability to record your music, it can deliver hours and hours of soul food for self-expression and the arts. For everyone else, there is still Guitar Hero.
  20. It takes more than just a neat idea to be a truly compelling piece of software. With no scoring system, backing music and vocals, or career mode, this isn't really a game in any sense. And, honestly, strumming and singing to yourself gets old after about 15 minutes. Stick to Guitar Hero.
  21. 60
    Overall, though, Jam Sessions is different and enlightening enough to be worth at least a mild recommendation, especially if you're in the same boat as other aspiring guitar players around the world.
  22. Jam Sessions is a neat idea and a unique way to tinker around with your DS, but if you aren't a hardcore musician, I can't see anyone finding much appeal in this title.
User Score

Mixed or average reviews- based on 7 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 4
  3. Negative: 2 out of 4
  1. JasonO
    2
    This is the only game i ever bought that in 2 weeks traded back. I thought it was going to be a good game because I liked the idea of it being a guitar on your ds but no its just some "game" that lets you sound like a guitar with really bad distortion options, maybe its because I play guitar and wanted it to sound better, plus you can't do "power chords" on here either major down fall. This game gets a 2 because thats the amount of weeks i had it before I traded it in. Full Review »
  2. JohnG.
    10
    Great game, it's so easy to use and just pick up and play. The controls are incredibly intuitive and sensitive. I wouldn't compare it to Guitar Hero because it's NOT a Guitar Hero game. It is meant to be a creativity based game, not some button pressing rhythm game in which you can only play preloaded songs and aren't able to record you're own stuff. Full Review »
  3. ChrisO.
    0
    This isn't a game, nor is it a very useful utility for guitarists, or those learning to play. Basically, this is Guitar Hero without any challenge whatsoever. And let's not mention how ridiculous a person would look if they whipped this out and started "strumming their DS" on the bus. Full Review »